Crazysexycool
TLC
1994
Album Summary
CrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American girl group TLC. It was released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip in 1992 to positive reviews and commercial success. The following year the group began working on a follow-up with an unproductive recording process due to personal struggles, notably those of member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes who was involved in a volatile romantic relationship and struggling with alcoholism. The album's recording lasted until September 1994, with Lopes' role diminished because she was in rehab. The album saw the group reunite with producers Dallas Austin, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Jermaine Dupri as well as new collaborators Organized Noize and Chucky Thompson, and also featured contributions from Sean "Puffy" Combs who helped with the notable hip hop soul sound. CrazySexyCool featured hip hop beats, funk, deep grooves, propulsive rhythms and smooth production. The album's lyrical content was seen as a departure from the group's debut and was seen as a coming-of-age project which explored themes such as sexuality, romanticism, inexperience, and youthful optimism. CrazySexyCool was met with critical acclaim and commercial success, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200, where it spent over two years. It has been certified 12-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), making TLC the first girl group in history to be awarded diamond status. CrazySexyCool has since sold over 15 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling album by an American girl group. The album has since been featured on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and was listed as a "New Classic" by Entertainment Weekly in 2008. The album was also ranked as the seventh best diamond-certified album of all time by Billboard.
WikipediaI didn't remember it being this horny. Aside from waterfalls, just not that interesting
Great songs with slick, polished production and the right mix of R&B/hip hop, soul and pop ensuring massive crossover appeal. All star guest cast cameos. Sexy but never sleazy. The blueprint for all female groups that followed in their footsteps. This is a real winner.
It's seems that as much as I try to find one, there just isn't a teenage girl hidden away inside of me. I don't have any anger against this album. I just don't like it.
Omg, I was super excited just seeing this album pop up! This was the bangerrrrr in middle school and I can not even count how many times I’ve listened to it. And it is absolutely still a banger in every sense. I freaking loved every second of rediscovering this album in its totality!
Damn I loved this album when it came out. It's hard to explain to someone today just how cool TLC was and what kind of place they occupied in pop culture. For representation's sake, this is my 145th album and only the SECOND all-female group beside the Go-Gos.
In my opinion, there aren't many R&B/Hip-hop albums with unskippable tracks. This is certainly one of those unicorns. A must for any collection.
I've mentioned in these notes before that I know next to nothing about R&B. That remains true, but I enjoy finding gems like this immensely. My entry into other genres has been more or less immediate through newly released albums or through systematically listening to the greats of the genre. R&B, on the other hand, is not something I love based on neo-soul, which I see as its genre successor. Neither is it something that I've dived into in a systematic way. Anyway, all that is to say that this is an album I likely wouldn't have listened to in any other way, and I really like it. It would easily be excellent if the instrumentation was less obviously synthetic, but the song quality and inclusion of 3 Stacks at the end make me think it'll hold up to repeat listens. The production is all relatively fresh and it strikes the right balance between sexiness and not taking itself too seriously. I'm not sure if any of the songs aside from Waterfall will be earworms, but they're all distinct and I didn't mind the skits either (which apparently makes me an outlier?).
Les grosses chaudières de TLC viennent nous offrir un album très bien conçu dans son style, malheusement ce style ne me parle pas. En effet, les multiples provocations sexuelles offertes par les chagasses de TLC m'ont mis extrêmement mal à l'aise, petit florilège: "Nous recherchons quelques chose de long et dur, peux-tu nous aider?" "J'adore avaler un truc en particulier, peux-tu deviner quoi?" "Je suis bloqué les jambes écartées, est-ce que tu peux m'aider?" Tout bonnement insupportable.
there were like 2 or 3 songs that were dope but the rest of it felt like some drawn out blubbery orgasm
CrazySexyCool, genau das ist das Album nicht. Viel zu lang, 16 Songs, davon 5 Interludes und trotzdem 56 Minuten. Alle außer ein Lied über 4 Minuten, der Inhalt: CrazySexCool, denkste... Highlight der Rap part am Anfang des letzten Songs "Lieblingssongs": 1. Waterfall 2. Sumthin´Wicked This Way Comes
Not my thing, but that doesn't mean it's without merit. If you like this sort of music I suppose this would be pretty good. But it's music you don't need to engage with. Background, lift music. Or the kind of thing you'd hear in a restaurant that was trying to be "urban" - but it would just be irritating.
Another one of my first CDs. I memorized left eye’s waterfalls verse when I was 8
All of their best, some of the non-popular stuff isn't as great, but still a classic album.
Let’s be honest, I’ve been chasing them waterfalls for a long while now. TLC will forever hold a special place in my heart
Es de lo mejoooorr, realmente me encantó, es una obra de arte de principio a fin, simplemente no tiene un sólo skip y es perfecto, se siente muy actual a pesar de no ser reciente, lo recomiendo muchisimo.
What a monster R&B album. Amazing. What is more surprising is the special guests on songs...and how they are titled with their "old" names. Great intricate chemistry between these 3.
already heard it. one of my all time faves. very sexy and cool and a crazy good album
Love TLC. 2nd favorite album behind "On the TLC Tip." Great album. God, they really love sex - xD Love it!
Back in '94, I thought I was too cool for CrazySexyCool, no doubt making my way through the chaotic ruins of late-stage grunge. But damn this is a good album. Even though there are literally children today whose parents were conceived to this album, it still feels fresh. By mashing up pop, R&B, hip hop and edgy alt sounds, it is solidly the forebear of the hip alt R&B albums of the past decade.
T-Boz, Left Eye and Chili demonstrate why they’re arguably the greatest girl group of the 90s. Covering subjects from unapologetic sexuality to bewilderment at the quickly-changing world of the new decade, it’s erotic, funny and brash all at once.
If this isn't the horniest album on this list, it's the horniest I've come across so far and probably the horniest album of the 90s, even it it didn't feature a gender bent cover of an already gender bent Prince song.
Great R&B album, with a bit of hip hop, from the early 90s, contains a number of proper hit songs (Creep, Waterfall) but the rest of the material is very strong too. Clearly stands out from all the other R&B albums from that time.
Lækkert R&B album. Fede numre og de har altså noget glimt i øjet og sex i stemmen. En del fyld.
Hell yea 90s r&b. Two great singles off this one “Creep” and “Waterfalls” and all the cameos were awesome- Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes, Black Thought maybe?
8/10. Got better as I went. The sexy interlude almost made me want to give it a 9, because it was amusing.
TLC is good. Definitely didn’t expect to listen to this all the way through. That’s probably on me though because many people seem to like them.
7/10. this definitely has some jams, but it got a little samey and i think the lyrics were very predictable/cliche
THE BEGINNING AND THE CHORUS OF DIGGIN ON YOU!!!! EXACTLY!!!!!! shooby doooo if i was your girlfriend exactly this album is so good it's the pinnacle of the word sexy and lisa's rapping voice is something else the way her words bounce off is the best the instrumentals here are so catchy i loveeee it
Eine meiner Lieblingsgruppen, eins meiner Lieblingsalben, sehr sexlastig lol
Although I was familiar with TLC - difficult to miss them in the 90s, they were everywhere - but had not really listened to their music. Listened to this album and it's great. Really nice mix of R&B groove, hip-hop, and some fantastic vocals (those voices, wow!). Enjoyed this one.
This is quintessential 90s listening, from T-Boz's sultry voice, down to the ridiculous interludes before the songs. Love it.
Pretty good album but it has too many intermissions that bloat the runtime
8/10, real nice introduction to soul and r&b, sex sounds were great too.
Not really my thing but this is about as prototypical mid-90s R&B as you can get. Solid album. Worth listening to.
Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to. Best track: Creep
Класный олдскульный r'n'b. Альбом 1994 года, получается это прародитель всего засилья, что было на Mtv в 2000х. Послушал с огромым удовольствием, хоть это и не мой жанр.
This is the reason they are one of the formative girl groups of the 90s
3.5/5. Pretty good, better than average. I liked the general vibe of this album, 90s RnB. The track that I liked the most was 'Diggin' On You'.
I really didn't notice any tracks that stood out other than the singles. Good though.
- slows jams definitely scream the 90s - many many ludes??? fav was the sexy one tho - rap in waterfalls SO good - if i was your girlfriend <3 - intro to sumthin wicked this way comes was speaking truths
This is a really terrific album. The production is ahead of its time (although still steeped in New Jack Swing). Singing is great, fantastic songs (esp Creep, Waterfalls). I love the cover of "If I was Your Girlfriend" - hard to cover Prince, esp at the height of his powers. I love the confidence of the group, although I really don't think we needed the interludes, which dilute the power of the powerful female presence on this record. Other than that, perfect.
A great sounding groovy R&B album - was not in my wheelhouse when it came out although the great singles "Creep" and "Waterfalls" were unavoidable. Glad to give this a full listen as I appreciate it way more today - good songwriting and musicianship (noted: guitar solo on "Red Light Special") and even if it's not my preferred genre this is a great album with top-notch catchy songs and fantastic production especially for 1994. Recommended. 7/10 4 stars.
of course i know waterfalls but i’ve never heard another song by them but i actually really enjoyed it. it was super groovy and catchy, especially switch!
What a great varied album. Some phenomenal tracks in there and even if there is a lack of No Scrubs on this one, it more than makes up for it
It’s weird that the song everyone knows from this album (“Waterfalls”) knows a little antithetical to the album. The album itself felt more hip-hop than R&B. I have to wonder what would have happened if they had continued. Anyway, most of the songs were pretty good, even the interludes were enjoyable (probably because they were music and not skits). I would have liked to have known the guest vocals, that made it more hip-hop to me, having Busta Rhymes and whoever else there. Overall there were one or two songs I might say meh to, but a strong outing.
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Creep, Diggin on you, Red light special, Waterfalls
4.1 - I was expecting a bubblegum teeny record but I couldn't have been more wrong. This is full-on grownfolks music, i.e. people be fucking to this. I like the big hits, "Creep" and "Waterfalls" - terrific production on both songs. "Red Light Special", maybe my favorite track on the album, is sexy AF, especially with the bridge that leads to a guitar solo. I even like their cover of "If I Was Your Girlfriend", though not as much as Prince's original. And as far as skits go, "Sexy-Interlude" is actually pretty hilarious.
Surprisingly good. I was too young to appreciate this when it came out.
some amazing tracks. Listened to this a ton of times because its peak 90s nostalgia for my wife. not a perfect album by any means but it definitely answers the question "what did make-out music sound like in the second half of the 90s
very good, can sound samey as product of its time but the highs are high. 7/10